Mellinger: First three months of Dorsey’s Chiefs regime far cry from *****’s

First three months of Dorsey’s Chiefs regime far cry from *****’s
By Sam Mellinger
The Kansas City Star
John Dorsey knows Kansas City. By now you’ve heard that part of his story. His wife is from the area, and their first date was at Jack Stack. When the Chiefs introduced him as their new general manager, he called it his dream job.

But living in a place can be very different than visiting. He just bought a house here. This is real now. Working a dream job can be very different than dreaming about it. So we wanted to check in after three months and see if anything had changed.

“No way, this place is awesome, man,” he says. “Here’s an example. We went down to Oklahoma Joe’s (on Wednesday), Andy and I and some other guys, and we sat in line for 40 minutes. The people were great. This is the good thing about the Midwest: Everybody respects your space. It’s a cool thing.

“Some guys would come up and talk to us; they’re genuinely excited. That’s what it’s all about. It’s the people, man.”

Dorsey will talk your ear off about Kansas City. The other day, as the lawn mower was going by his office window, he realized it was never this nice in Green Bay until mid-May, at least. You hear Dorsey talk, and you hear others in the Chiefs offices talk about him, and you begin to understand a franchise-defining change.

We don’t know if Dorsey will succeed in Kansas City. Nobody does. But after three months, there are clues about how the Chiefs are, and will continue to be, different.

He doesn’t spend any time trash-talking his predecessor, for one. This was a favorite pastime of Scott *****’s. Publicly and privately, directly and indirectly, ***** wanted you to know what kind of mess he inherited.

Dorsey never mentions that he arrives on the heels of what many involved called the worst football year of their lives.

“We’re just trying to get people excited, because that’s a good working environment,” Dorsey says.

The second major difference between this regime change and the one that preceded it is that Dorsey isn’t overhauling the front office. ***** talked constantly of changing the culture and spent a lot of time firing and hiring people. Dorsey has spent a large chunk of his time meeting and working with and listening to people who were here long before January.

“Not one guy has all the answers, my God,” Dorsey says. “This is a hard job now. There are going to be some people here who are going to help and it’s good to have everybody here to do this.”

That leads to the third major difference between Dorsey and *****. Whenever possible, ***** would namedrop Bill Belichick. Dorsey doesn’t talk much about Green Bay. Doesn’t tell stories about drafting Aaron Rodgers or winning the Super Bowl with the league’s youngest roster or what they saw in Clay Matthews that 25 other teams passed on ... unless you ask.

Dorsey isn’t coming to Kansas City expecting people to kiss his Super Bowl rings as much as he’s hoping the people here can help him win another one.

“I think you’ve got to earn everybody’s respect,” he says. “I’m trying to earn everybody’s respect in the organization. I only know one way. I have no ego. I like to work. I like work, I like football, and I love my family.”

The Chiefs’ last four years were filled with drama. Carl Peterson ran the organization for two decades, and although he probably should have been replaced a year or two earlier, you can now look back and see a professionalism that went missing when he departed. He had his quirks — quite frankly… — but people genuinely liked working for him. There’s something to be said for that.

It’s only three months, of course, but there seems to be a steadiness and professionalism returning to the Chiefs’ offices. You don’t hear stories of paranoia, or micromanaging, or bizarre rules about who can make color copies.

This is still an NFL organization, so secrets are still closely guarded. Besides, NFL teams are bigger than the general manager. Owner Clark Hunt was going to push his franchise in this direction no matter who he hired as general manager.

But the sense from the inside is one of confidence, comfort and a renewed optimism. You can see that in Dorsey as he talks about the rewards of hard work and the focus on empowering his scouts. Get people invested, he says. Get them excited. That’s how you build a winning culture.

Again, we don’t know how this story will end. Dorsey is only three months into the job. His first draft is three weeks off, his first game six months away. All we have are these hints. But all these hints are positive.

FWIW, I've been told by multiple people associated with the league in one way or another, that the Chiefs are absolutely sold on Alex Smith.

Again, take it FWIW.

I believe that. You don't go into a presser and tell everyone that you think the QB that everyone else thought you overpaid for is going to be a future hall of famer if you aren't completely sold on the guy. I think they honestly beleive he will be in the HoF. I think they are giddy that they got him for the compensation that they gave up for him.

I think Chiefs fans wanted a gun slinger, but Reid and Dorsey were looking for a more cerebral QB. I think they have that in ASmith.

I hope he is as good as they think he is.

I'd still like us to pick up Geno. If not, I won't be crushed. I'd be disappointed, sure. If we don't get a QB, I would like for us to trade down and get a passrusher (Ansah--I think when all is said and done, he will be the premier defensive player in this draft). I will even live if we get Fisher.... This game is all about QB: you either get one, protect one or kill one. We will get a player that does one of those things.

He doesn’t spend any time trash-talking his predecessor, for one. This was a favorite pastime of Scott *****’s. Publicly and privately, directly and indirectly, ***** wanted you to know what kind of mess he inherited.

Funny isn't it that all the high end talent on this team was drafted by the King except for a couple no-brainers (Berry,Houston). Nothing made me happier than to hear that Fat Scott used to mock the previous regime by referring to them as the "2-14s" and that is the exact record that got his fat ass sent packing.

Funny isn't it that all the high end talent on this team was drafted by the King except for a couple no-brainers (Berry,Houston). Nothing made me happier than to hear that Fat Scott used to mock the previous regime by referring to them as the "2-14s" and that is the exact record that got his fat ass sent packing.

Fugg him!

ya. If the last regime sucked Scott, what do you call yours? A ****ing abortion?

__________________Adopt a Chief: JamaalCharles

Clay: 9/10/08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pam Oliver's Forehead

Alex Smith is really talented. BIG arm, very mobile. The injury is really just bad luck.

Funny isn't it that all the high end talent on this team was drafted by the King except for a couple no-brainers (Berry,Houston). Nothing made me happier than to hear that Fat Scott used to mock the previous regime by referring to them as the "2-14s" and that is the exact record that got his fat ass sent packing.

Fugg him!

I don't know that I'd call Houston a "no brainer". He was thought to potentially have all sorts of off-the-field issues that have just never materialized.

That said, I'm not sure there's anyone OTHER than Houston for Pioli to hang his hat on, and even that one's not necessarily a home run - just a nice, solid pick.

I liked Levy but I do believe he had a fair opportunity in KC. I know that Lamar Hunt said his biggest regret was firing Marv, but I also believe that Marv wouldn't have had the success he had in Buffalo without the growing pains he experienced in KC (and to a lesser degree, the USFL).

He had a helluva coaching staff, especially offensively, in Buffalo.

Levy didn't implement the Wing T because he thought it was a good offense. He said at the time he was going to run it because his defense was so bad that he wanted to keep them off the field. He was right. The defense he inherited was abysmal. And the Wing T offense controlled the ball and kept the defense off the field, just like Levy predicted.

When the team gets better every year until the strike season, and the front office makes no real attempt to field a competitive scab team in games that actually count in the standings, and then you fire Levy after the strike season, that's not giving him a fair opportunity.

The Chiefs absolutely ****ed up by firing Marv Levy, and any fan who who was paying attention knew so at the time.

I don't know that I'd call Houston a "no brainer". He was thought to potentially have all sorts of off-the-field issues that have just never materialized.

That said, I'm not sure there's anyone OTHER than Houston for ***** to hang his hat on, and even that one's not necessarily a home run - just a nice, solid pick.

PFF had Houston as the 2nd most effective pass rushing OLB behind Von Miller pretty deep into the season last year. The Chiefs just didn't use him enough in that role. That says something about the previous coaching or Tamba Hali's limitations; I'm not sure which though. I'd call it a homerun for a 3rd rounder barring him running into serious issues.

but yeah it's pretty slim after that.. I think some of the olinemen might work out like Asomoah but drafting guards in the 2nd and 3rd you'd like to hope you hit almost every time. Jeff Allen looked like a solid 2nd round pick. for me to poop on!

I don't know that I'd call Houston a "no brainer". He was thought to potentially have all sorts of off-the-field issues that have just never materialized.

That said, I'm not sure there's anyone OTHER than Houston for ***** to hang his hat on, and even that one's not necessarily a home run - just a nice, solid pick.

Uh, he was a lock for the first round until he failed a pot test is all I ever heard. NFL people are apparently unaware that tons of players smoke weed, I mean JFC watch the Tamba pro bowl video, he was so god damn high he could barely talk and the morons at kcchiefs.com were clueless and put the video up anyways.

Also, if a 3rd round pick that goes to the probowl in his second season is only a "solid pick", that pretty much makes Tom Brady the only "homerun" in NFL draft history.

I supported pioli up untill beginning last season when we let orton go and brought no competition for cassel.

I was man nick wright and everyone else are right he won't admit his mistake on him. That was it for me I turned on him and as loses mounted I was like the main problem is pioli hated peterson but at least he admited when he made a mistake.